AGULAR – We’ve heard of stories of cancer patients how they survived and triumphed in their journey.  Here is 19-year-old Hanah Lou T. Abad of Niñoy, of this town, who was bullied all her school days, and finally triumphed.

She stood tall before images of bullies in her mind when she took center stage to be celebrated during the 40th Commencement Exercises of PSU Lingayen on June 24 as an accomplished physical science degree holder, magna cum laude, with many awards to boot.

In a PUNCH interview, Hanah recalled how traumatic her learning journey started at age 4 because of her physical appearance, being youngest, and their life status. “My elementary days were painful kasi sobrang binu-bully talaga ako that’s why wala akong friends that time,” she said.

She went to school every day with only two pesos in her pocket. (They were six siblings , and that her parents had no regular source of income. Her mother was a plain housewife, her father was a tricycle driver then).

Bullying continued in high school. They made fun of her appearance, but mercifully, she said bullying did not reach the point when she was violated or abused physically.

Hanah remained silent. She kept all hurtful words inside her and turned the verbal abuses into challenges to prove herself worthy. With P20 as her daily allowance, she graduated as class salutatorian of her batch.

Entering college, the bullying did not stop. “When I entered college, akala ko iba na ‘yung atmosphere; akala ko, hindi na ako mabu-bully pero I was mistaken. Mas malala pa pala.”

Competition was tough in her classes. Bullies attributed her high grades and citations to being a “sipsip” as the teacher’s pet. Unknown to her family, she went through a bout of depression, and almost completely lost the motivation to stay on top. “Sobrang nasaktan ako that time. Malaki ang sacrifices at effort ko para makakuha ng matataas na grades pero ‘yun lang pala ang sasabihin nila. Sobrang down at depressed ako that time. I was not motivated to continue my study. Hindi na ako nagre-review.”

In the face of constant bullying, with rising trials at home, Hanah relied on the thought that she was loved and favored still by God, and that God never left her side. With few true friends filling her with the positives, a family whose support was ever-present, she found the church her second home. These were her inspirations that eventually sustained her perseverance, to overcome all unpleasant, hurtful words. The survivor instinct inside her became stronger than ever, fighting off every lie heaped on her by her bullies.

“Dahil sa tulong ng Diyos, I was able to survive those wall-like struggles. At dahil hindi ako sumuko, nakarating ako sa journey na ito. All my efforts and sacrifices paid off.”

Her childhood dream to become a teacher is at hand. Today, she dedicates her success to everyone who has been with her, friend or foe, to her family who is her rock, to her teachers who inspired her, and to students who were bullied like her. With a mind that’s fierce and a heart that’s brave, the girl on fire graduated Magna Cum Laude.

Indeed, vengeance is not hers, but God’s love. (Melody Valenton)      

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